Water-tube boiler.



F. P. PALEN & W. BURLINGHAM.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1914.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

5 E S s E N nu W F. P. PALEN & W. BURLINGHAM.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1914.

INVENTOBS Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO'LIYHQ. WASHINGTON. D C

r nnnnnren PQPAL N nun WILLIAM BURLINGHAM, or nnwronr News, VIRGINIA.

WATER-TUBE BOILER.

Toall whom itma e concern: a Be it known that we,vFRnnnnIcK P. PALEN and WVILLniM BURLINGIIAM, citizens of the United States, residing at Newport News, in the county of; WVarwicl :,fState of Virginia, ha've invented a new and useful W ater-Tube Boiler, of whichthe following is ayspecification. v n a Our invention relates to a novel construction of a water tube boiler, wherein we employ an upper steam drum of large diameter, belowwhich, on either side thereof, is a lower drum, said drums being connected by nests of tubes and preferably by upper and lower nests of curved water tubes and an intermediate nest of straight water, tubes, there being one or more lowerbalile plate or plates inclining upwardlyfrom each of said lower drums, which battles are collocated in cooperative relation to intermediate baffle plates, which extend downwardly on diverging lines from the upper steam drum toward the lower water drums at a point intermediately of said nests of tubes, whereby, a,

secondary combustion chamber is created in a proximity to the bottom ofsaidsteam drum so that the products of combustion are perfectly consumed and are directed to the points where theheat units willbe most effectively utilized, in order to raise the water in the boiler to the requisite temperature to obtain the requisite circulation between the large steam drum and the lower water drums. Itis well known" to those skilled in the art that in order to obtain the greatest 'elliciency from a device ofithis character, it

is essential not only that a thorough combustion take place, but that the, heat units must be directed to impingeuponvproper portions of the heating surfaces, so that an Letl'ective and rapid eirculation and consequent steam generation will be attained under all conditions, and by our novelcollocation of battle plates and water tubes, pro;

vision is made for causing a complete combustion of the gases prior to the egress of the products of combustionto the stack, so that the oxygen admitted above the fire grate properly combines with the products of combustion and effects moreperfect and "thorough combustionvithan heretofore. By

the employment of thefuupper diverging battle plates located 'intermediately of the nests of tubes and the lower, upwardly converging ballle plates, the hot gasesare tem- "porarily pocketed in; the top of the combus- Specif cation of Letters Patent. Application filed July 6, 1914,. ,SeriaL No. 349,305.

Patented Nov. 24:, 1914.

tion chamber below the steam drum, so that the surfaces of the lower nests of water tubes areiacted on, not only bythe first com bustlon wh ch takesplace in proximity to intense heat, which concentrates in the upper part of the combustion chamber in proximity to the lower portion of thesteam drum and the lower nests of water tubes connected thereto. Consequently, it follows that in our novel construction, intense heat is appliedto the inner or lower nests of water; tubes, so that a rapid upward circulation is created, said circulation being in a downward direction through the upper nests of tubes, whereby a fcirculation is created of such character that there will beno lodg- Inent of scale in the water tubes, as we have iound from a series of practical experi merits M y By our novel collocation of baflle plates in a boiler of the character described. any unconsumed products of combustion have ample time to commingle with the oxygen introduced into X the combustion chamber, so that a complete combustion takes place owing to the reverberatoryaction in the upper combustion chamber prior to the action of the suction of the draft carrying on the consumed gases. As a result of our novel con struction and collocation of water tubes and battle plates, the lower nests of tubes are initially very highly heated, which causes a rapid upper circulation, which, heat is lost very rapidly as the products of combustion water drums and nclined water tubes in con-M junction with a novel arrangement ofbaifle plates coact ngtherewlth.

It further consists of other novel features will be hereinafter,

of construction, all as fully set forth. a

For the purpose of illustrating our invention, we have shown in the accompanying" drawings, one, form thereof, which i s: atp'res:

ent preferred by us, since the same will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the va-' rious instrumentalities of which our invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that our invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of a water tube boiler, embodying our invention, on line era Fig. 2. Fig. 2 represents a section on line a900 Fig. 1, certain parts being omitted for sake of clearness of illustration. Fig. 3qrepresents a sectional view showing another embodiment of'our invention, wherein three baffleplates are employed. Fig. 4 representsa sectional view 01": another embodiment of our invention wherein four bathe plates are employed. Fig. 5 represents a transverse section of one of the water drums, showing the stifiening plates therein. Fig: Grepres'ents a section on water drums by the lower nests of prefer-' ably curved water tubes 7 and 8. 9and 10 designate upper nests of preferably curved water tubes common to said water drums 1 and 2 and said steam drum, the spaces intermediate said curved nests of water tubes being occupied by nests of preferably strai'ght water tubes 11 and 12.

13 and 14: designate diverging baffle plates which are supported in proximity to the nests of straight tubes 11 and 12 respectively, in any suitable manner, it being apparent that said divergingor inclined baflie plates 13 and 14: may, if desired, be located at any suitable points intermediate the nests of curved water tubes 7 and 8 and 9 and 10 respectively, without departing froln the spirit of our invention.

15 and 16 designate lower inclined baffle plates which extend respectively in an upward direction from the lower inner portions of the water drums 1 and 2, said baiiie plates 15 and 16 causing the products of combustion, after being temporarily pocketed in the upper secondary combustion chamber 17, to impinge upon the bottom of the steam drum 6 and the upper ends of the lower nests of curved tubes 7 and 8, as seen in Fig. 1, said products of combustion pass.

ing thence around the straight tubes 11. and 12 and thence over the lower edges of the upper diverging bafiie plates 13 and 14 through the flues 18 to the stack 19.

'20 and 21 designate circulating pipes, which connect the lowerportion of the interior of the steam drum 6 with the water drums 1 and 2. i

In the other embodiment of our invention seen in Fig. 3, we employ, if desired, three sets of battle plates as 22, 23 and 2t,the baflie plates 22 extending downwardly from the steam drum 6 while'thebatile plates 23 extend upwardly from the lower water drums, as 1 and 2, while the upper bafiie plates 24: extend downwardly from the steam drum 6, so that a circuitous passage of the products of combustion is formed between said baifle plates 22, 23 and24, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. I

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3 and above described, the baflie plates 22 will direct the hot gases and products of combustion first to the inner nest of tubes to cause the water to ascend, resulting in descent in the outer nests of tubes,"which are exposed to the lessheated gases.

In the construction seen in Fig. 4, weemploy four baiiie plateson ,each side of the furnace as 25, 26, 27 and 28, the battle plates 26 and 28 extending upwardly from the lower water drums 1 and 2, while the upper 9 baflie plates and 27 extend downwardly from the steam drum 6 so that the products ofcombustionare retained for a still longer period in proximity'to the water tubes, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It will further be seen that in our novel construction, we have elevated the side drums 1 and 2 to a considerable extent above the grate so that the secondary combustion chamber 17 is. created, whereby a much more extended grate surface is obtained than is obtained by the usual arrangement, where the grate is about on a line with the centers of the side drums. Attention is also called to the fact that in our novel construction, by the employment of the pair of water drumsand the central enlarged steam drum, with nests of combined curved and straight tubes, the central drum is of a size to permit the withdrawal therein of either the straight or curved tubes, as circumstances require, and while straight tubes have been used, no provision has ever been made for the use of nests of combined straight and curved water tubes in conjunction with our novel construction and collocation. of battle plates which isof great importance and a decided improvement. In most boilers, as heretofore constructed, when it is desired to remove adefective tube or permit the application of a new or perfoot one, it has generally been necessary to provide a construction of boiler having either a series of openings, in the opposite side of the drum,-'through which the tubes may be withdrawn, or resort to a difficult and expensive arrangement of tubes installed so they can be drawn in the lengthwise direction of the drum, or to provide a drum of abnormally large size. In providing holes through which the tubes can be removed, the drum is obviously weakened and the additional openings increase the liability of leaks. If the tubes are arranged to draw in the lengthwise direction of the drum it necessitates curving the tubes and drilling the tube holes on an angle which is difficult and adds greatly to the cost of construction. If the drum is made large enough to draw straight tubes into the drum its size is ordinarilyprohibitive in boilers of this general type. In curing these serious defects, we make the tubes both curved and straight so that they will 00- cupy a position across the diameter of the drum when they are withdrawn, and provide a central drum of such diameter that it will permit of sufficient space to allow the curved and straight tubes to be pushed or withdrawn entirely into said enlarged central drum, from whence they can be easily removed through a single manhole and new tubes inserted, which construction insures the minimum size of drum for removing curved and straight tubes lying in a plane perpendicular to a plane passing through the center of the drum, which does not in the least increase the cost of the boiler, but retains the entire strength and durability of the structure.

lVe have provided a boiler of increased economy and eiliciency by our novel arrangement of baffle plates, that cause the gases of combustion to be temporarily pocketed near the upper portion of the lower tube nests in the secondary co1nbus-' tion chamber 17, which provides for the mixing of the gases of combustion again after they have passed from the primary combustion chamber near the grateto said secondary combustion chamber 17, thereby insuring complete combustion before the gases finally pass into the stack. The baffling causes the gases to be temporarily retained in the secondary combustion chamber in proximity to the upper ends of the lower tubes before they are discharged to the smoke stack, which insures an increased etiiciency for the boiler.

"From the foregoing, it will be seen that we have provided an improved boiler which :t'acilitates the securing in position of alargc number of tubes in a vertical row, thus providing for our novel arrangement of bathing and thoroughly utilizing the heat of the products of combustion as they pass between the tubes, while at the same time,

the largesteam drum increases the Water and steam containing capacity of the boiler reducing to a minimum the dangers and accidents resulting from low water and small water capacity and we have in addition provided a secondary combustion chamber 17 in which the gases of combustion are thoroughly connningled before passing to the upper or outer nests of boiler tubes where the heat is finally extracted.

In all the embodiments of our invention it will be apparent that the number of nests of straight and curved tubes may be increased or diminished according to require ments and the outer nests of tubes may be inclosod in a suitable setting, as 29. It will be further apparent that in order to secure best results and to enahlethe replacement of a leaking tube to bereadily effected, as will be understood from the dotted lines in the steam drum of Fig. 1, we pre'l.erably construct the lower water drums with a convex tubesheet 30 attached to a somewhat similar shaped outer curved sheet or member 31 so that said lower water drums 1 and 2 are substantially elliptical in cross section, as will be best understood from Fig. essential that this shape in cross section of tially maintained under all conditions, and since sald lower drums are large we attach to the inner surface of the outer sheets 31 a series of transversely arranged stiffening plates 32, which are best seen in .l ligs. 5 and (3, said plates holding the lower or outer sheet 31 to its designed shape and preventing the lower drum from tending after use to assume a circular shape due to the internal pressure. This is an important feature of our novel construction, since said lower drums are large and we have found. from practical use that they cannot be safely built without a provision of this character, and it is possible to install these stiffening plates only in drums oflargesizo, inasmuch as they cut off the access to the drums to such an extent that they cannot be installed in small drums. It will of course be apparent that the general contour and design of these stiffening plates may be varied without. de-b parting from the spirit of our invention. By the employment of the large steam and his said lower water drums 1 and 2 he substanthe precise form of these stiffening or reinforcing devices may be varied, if desired, as will be apparent to those skilled in this art.

k'ji

Te have found from practical experiments that our novel construction of boiler, while carrying twice or three times the amount of water which the water tube boilers now on the market carry, provides water area for the disengagement of steam from the surface of the water, approximately twice that of other water tube boilers with which we are familiar, and, in addition, we have found from practical experiments, that no water is carried up into steam, so that it is unnecessary to employ a steam separator in connection with our new boiler. lVater tube boilers of ordinary construction under a heavy fire are liable to prime and carry water overto the steam main, whereas such objection is obviated in our construction, since only dry steam is generated under all conditions. The feed pump can be set in the morning and run all day without requiring attention from the operator even under considerable variation in load, due to ordinary working conditions. A water tube boiler constructed in accordance with our invention and the present system of bafl'ling presents no pockets for the deposit of dust on the tubes or corners, which is an objectionable feature, and causes water tubes to burn out. Our novel boiler weighs much less than a Scotch boiler of equal capacity, and is especially adapted for use on ships, power stations or other plants requiring large boiler power in small space. In our novel construction of baffling, the arrangement of baflles allows sufficient space to permit of the gases supplying the dead points with heat, but there is no excess of space to'allow the waste gases to heat the stack or ,to allow CU passing to the uptake before the air adi'nitted above the fire has had opportunity to combine with this gas and burn.

it will now be apparent that we have devised a novel and useful construction of a steam boiler, which embodies the features of advantage ei'niunerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while we have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which will be found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a water tube boiler, an upper steam drum, lower water drums, nests of tubes connecting the steam and water drums, a set of baille plates extending from the steam drum toward the water drums and located near the lower portion of the tube nests, whereby an opening is provided between the end of the baflle plates and the water drums for the admission of the hot gases to the tube nests, a second set of baffle plates located in the tube nests and extending from the water drums toward the steam drum, whereby an opening is provided between the ends of the baflie plates and the steam drum for the passage of the hot gases, and a third set of bafile platesextending from the steam drum toward the Water drums and located still higher ,in the tube nests, whereby an opening is provided between the ends of the latter battle plates and the water drums for the passage of the hot gases.

2. in a water tube boiler, an upper steam drum, lower water drums, nests of tubes connecting the steam and water drums, a set of battle plates extending from the steam drum toward the water drums and located near the lower portion of the tube nests, whereby an opening is provided between the end of the baffle plates and the water drums for the admission of the hot gases to the tube nests, a second set of battle plates located in the tube nests and extending from the water drums toward the steam drum, whereby an opening is provided between the ends of the baffle plates and the steam drum for the passage of the hot gases, and a third set of baf fie plates extending from the steam drum toward the water drums and located still higher in the tube nests, whereby an opening is provided between the ends of the latter bafl'le plates and the Water drums for the passage of the hot gases, in combination with a series of internal stiffening devices secured within said water drums to their outer sheets for reinforcing and stiffening said water drums, so as to prevent their distortion in use.

3. In a steam boiler, an upper steam drum, side water drums at a lower level, a plurality of nests of water tubes extending downwardly from said steam drum to said lower water drums, the upper and lower nests of said water tubes being curved in opposite directions, upper baflle plates located above said lower nests of tubes, said upper baflle plates extending in diverging directions downwardly from said steam drum toward said water drums, and lower baffle plates, the latter being inclined and converged upwardly and extending from the inner portion of said side water drums toward said steam drum, whereby an upper secondary combustion chamber is formed in proximity to the junction of the inner water tubes to said steam drum.

In a steam boiler, an upper central steam drum, side water drums arranged at a lower level, a plurality of nests of water tubes common to said central steam drums and each of said side drums, upper diverging baffle plates arranged .within said water tubes and extending downwardly from said steam drums toward said water drums, and lower converging battle plates extending from said lower water drums toward said steam drum. i

5. t In a steam boiler, an upper steam drum,

side water drums at a lower level, a plurality a: oi nests of 1 water tubes extendlng downwardly from said steam drum to said lower water drums, the upper nests of said tubes being curved in a convex direction outwardly, and the lower nests of said water tubes being, curved inwardly toward the furnace in an opposite direction to said first mentioned tubes, nests of straight tubes located intermediately of said nests of curved tubes, and connectedto said steam drum and water drums and a baffle plate located within said nests of tubes and extending downwardly from each side of said steam drum toward said water drums, in combination with lower baffle plates, the latter being in clined and converged upwardly andextending from the lower portion of said side water drums toward said steam drum, whereby an upper secondary combustion chamber is formed in proximity to the junction of the inner water tubes to said drum.

6. Ina steam boiler, an upper central steam drum, sidewater drums arranged at a lower lever, a plurality of nests of water tubes common to said cent a1 steam drum and each of said side drums, upper inclined baii'le plates arranged within said nests of water tubes and extending downwardly from said steam drum toward said water drums, and lower baffle plates extending upwardly from said lower water drums below said first mentioned battle plates toward said steam drums, whereby a secondary combustion chamber is created in proximity to the junction of the lower nests of water tubes with said steam drum.

7. In a steam boiler,,a grate, a boiler setting extending a considerable distance above each side of said grate, water drums mounted upon said boiler setting on each side of said grate and above the latter, lower nests of curved water tubes extending from the lower portions of said water drums to the lower portion of said steam drum, upper nests of curved tubes extending from the upper portion of said water drum to said steam drum, intermediate nests of straight tubes 11 and 12 extending from said water drums to said steam drum, upper bafile plates located intermediately of said curved nests of water tubes and diverging downwardly, and lower battle plates extending upwardly from said water drums toward said steam drum, whereby a secondary combastion chamber is created in proximity to the junction of the upper ends of said lower nests of water tubes with said steam drum.

8. In a water tube boiler, an upper steam drum, side water drums arranged at a lower level, a plurality of nests of water tubes extending downwardly from said steam drum to said water drums, the upper nests of said water tubes being curved in a convex direction outwardly, and the lower nests of said water tubes being curved inwardly toward the furnace in an opposite direction tosaid first mentioned tubes, said lower water drums being substantially elliptical in shape incross section, and provided with a convex tube sheet with which saidtubes engage, the outer sheetsof said water drums being also convex, and, a seri es of internal, transverse stiflening devices secured within said water drums to said outer sheets for reinforcing and stifi'ening the latter, so as to prevent said water drums changing shape.

9. In a water tube boiler, an upper steam drum, 'side water drums arranged at a lower level, a plunlity of nests of water tubesextending downwardly from said steam drum to said water drums, the upper nests of said watertubes-being curved in a convex directionoutwardly, and the lower nests of said water tubes being curved lnwardly toward the furnace in an opposite direction to said first mentioned tubes, nestsof st 'aight tubes located mtermedlately of said curved tubes,

said lower water drums being substantially elliptical in shape in cross section, and a series of internal, transverse stii'l'ening devices secured within said water drums to their outer sheets for reinforcing and stiffeningsaid water drums, so as to prevent their assuming a cylindrical shape.

10. In a water tube boiler, an upper steam drum, side water drums arranged at a lower level, a plurality of nests of water tubes extending downwardly from said steam drum to said water drums, the upper nests of said water tubes being curved in a convex direction outwardly, and the lower nests of said water tubes being curved inwardly toward the furnace in an opposite direction to said first, mentioned tubes, said lower water drums being substantially elliptical in shape in cross section, and provided with a convex tube sheet with which said tubes engage, the outer sheets ,of said water drums being also convex, and a series of internal, t ansverse stiffening devices within said. water drums and secured to the outer sheets thereof for reinforcing and stiffening the latter, so as to prevent their assuming a cylindrical shape, in combination with baille plates located in the spaces between each of said upper and lower nests oi. tubes, said ballle plates diverging downwardly from said steam drums toward said water drums.

11. In a water tube boiler, an upper steam drum, side water drums arranged at a lower level, a plurality of nests of water tubes extending downwardly from said steam drum to said water drums, the upper nests of said water tubes being curved in a convex direction outwardly, and the lower nests of said water tubes being curved inwardly toward the furnace in an opposite direction to said first-mentioned tubes, nests of straight tubes located intermediately of said curved tubes, said lower water drums being substantially elliptical in shape in cross section, and a series of internal, transverse stiflening devices for reinforcing and stiffening said water drums, so as to prevent their assuming a cylindrical shape, in combination with baffle plates located in the space between each of said upper and lower nests of tubes, said baflie plates diverging downwardly from said steam drums toward said water drums.

12. In a steam boiler, a steam drum, side water drums at a lower level than said drum, diverging tubes connecting said steam drum and side water drums, and oblique baflle plates extending alternately from said drums and between the nests of tubes to form diverging and tortuous paths for the products of combustion through said tube-nests, in combination with a series of internal stiffening devices secured within said water drums to the outer sheets thereof for reinforcing and stiffening said water drums, so as to prevent their distortion in use.

13. In a steam boiler, a steam drum, water drums arranged below and to the sides of said steam drum, tubes diverging from said steam drum to said water drums, and oblique baffle-plates supported in the nests of diverging tubes and alternately from said drums to form tortuous passages through the nests of tubes, in combination with a series of internal stiffening devices secured within said water drums to the outer sheets thereof for reinforcing and stifiening said water drums, so as to prevent their distor tion in use.

14:. In a steam boiler, a steam drum, water-drums arranged below and lateral to said drum, nests of diverging tubes extending from said steam drum to said water said drum, nests of tubes diverging from the steam-drum to the water drums, and

baffle-plates alternately extending from said drums for a part of the space between them and partly separating said nests to form tortuous passages through the same, in combination with a series of internal stiffening devices secured within said water drums to the outer sheets thereof for reinforcing and stiffening said water drums, so as to prevent their distortion in use.

16. In a steam boiler, a steam drum, water drums arranged below and lateral to said drum, tubes diverging from the steam drum to span the space between the same and the water drums in longitudinally extending nests, and inclined'baffle plates arranged in juxtaposition to and intermediate such nests to form tortuous passages through the same, in combination with a series of internal stiffening devices secured within said water drums to the outer sheets thereof for reinforcing and stiffening said water drums, so as to prevent their distortion in use.

17. In a steam boiler, a water drum oblong in cross-section, arcuate stiffening plates secured to the inner side of the wall of the drum, and brace bars extending across between the ends of said plates to form chords to the arcs of the latter.

FREDERICK P. PALEN. WILLIAM BURLINGHAM. Nitnesses:

MoGr. SINToN, L. T. Boees.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. i 

